The stars predict
a wedding-day disaster, but San Francisco astrologer Julia Bonatti never
expected murder
Julia
Bonatti is alarmed by the astrological signs looming over Geneva Leary’s
wedding day, but nobody asked Julia’s opinion and being a bridesmaid means
supporting the bride no matter what. Even with the foreboding Moon-Mars-Pluto
lineup in the heavens, no one’s prepared for the catastrophes that strike: a
no-show sister, a passed-out wedding planner, and a lethal shooting in the dead
of night.
With
anger and grief threatening to tear the Leary family part, Julia is determined
to understand how such a terrible tragedy could occur. As she digs deeper into
the family’s secrets, her astrological insights will lead her to the truth
about a criminal enterprise that stretches far beyond the California coast.
Excerpt:
The
building on Guerrero was a once proud Victorian with bow front windows. It had
since been broken up into six small units and fallen into disrepair. There was
something about this chore that made my stomach go into knots. Rummaging
through a dead woman’s possessions was bad enough, but what if I found
something that implicated Moira in a crime? Should I remove it and risk the
police finding out?
I
approached the long stairway leading to the front door. The wind had died down
and now fog danced around the streetlights. It was eerily quiet. No lights
shone from any of the windows. I climbed the cracked granite stairs to the
entrance where the weathered door stood ajar, listing slightly on its hinges. Inside,
a bare overhead light bulb cast a meager glow down the long corridor,
cannibalized from a once grand entryway. The hallway smelled of dirty cat
litter, moldy vegetables and cigarette smoke. I followed the corridor to the
end, and stopped at the last door on the right.
I
slipped the key into the lock and reached around the door jamb where I felt the
light switch. A rusting chandelier with two bulbs missing illuminated the one
large room that was both Moira’s living room and bedroom. This room housed a
collection of hand-me-downs and broken furniture, ripped curtains and piles of
clothing in various spots around the floor.
I
heaved up the mattress, first on one side and then the other, making sure
nothing was hidden between it and the box spring. I pulled open each of the
bureau drawers, checked their contents and pulled them all the way out to make
sure nothing was behind them. I opened a small drawer in the bedside stand. Amid
a loose pile of clutter was a dark blue velvet box embossed with the letter “R”
in cursive gold script. Could this be from Rochecault? I was fairly certain it
was. Rochecault is an infamously expensive jeweler on Maiden Lane downtown. How
could Moira have shopped there?
I
opened the box and gasped. An amazing bracelet heavy with blue stones in
varying colors rested inside. The setting had the slightly matte industrial
sheen of platinum. Moira couldn’t possibly have afforded this. Shoving the box
into a side pocket of my purse, I decided I was definitely not leaving this for
the police to find, and slid the drawer shut.
I
scanned the room. Moira hadn’t been much of a housekeeper and it didn’t appear
as if there were many hiding spots. My eye caught a small black notebook under
a jumble of papers and unopened bills on a rickety desk. I dropped my purse on
the floor and reached for the book. A searing pain shot through my skull. Blinded,
I fell to the floor.
Book
2: All Signs Point to Murder: http://amzn.to/2oiVbTs
Book
1: The Madness of Mercury: http://amzn.to/2oo0P5X
Connie
di Marco is the author of the Zodiac Mysteries from Midnight Ink, featuring San
Francisco astrologer, Julia Bonatti, who never thought murder would be part of
her practice. Book 2 in the Zodiac Mysteries is All Signs Point to Murder, to
be released on August 8, 2017.
Writing
as Connie Archer, she is also the national bestselling author of the Soup
Lover’s Mysteries from Penguin Random House (Berkley Prime Crime), set in the
village of Snowflake, Vermont. Her recently released A Clue in the Stew is the
fifth in this series. Some of her favorite recipes can also be found in The
Cozy Cookbook and The Mystery Writers of America Cookbook.
Connie
is a member of International Thriller Writers, Mystery Writers of America and
Sisters in Crime.
Website:
www.conniedimarco.com
Twitter:
@askzodia
GIVEAWAY:
Connie
di Marco will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Follow
the tour for more chances to win:
July 10: Books, Dreams,Life
July 11: T's Stuff
July 12: Hearts and Scribbles
July 12: Read Your Writes Book Reviews
July 13: Fabulous and Brunette
July 14: Nesie's Place
July 17: LibriAmoriMiei - review
July 17: Independent Authors
July 18: Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews
July 19: The Reading Addict
July 20: BooksChatter
July 24: Sharing Links and Wisdom
July 24: Laurie's Thoughts and Reviews
July 25: EskieMama and Dragon Lady Reads
July 26: Queen of All She Reads
July 27: Cafinated Reads
July 28: Long and Short Reviews
July 11: T's Stuff
July 12: Hearts and Scribbles
July 12: Read Your Writes Book Reviews
July 13: Fabulous and Brunette
July 14: Nesie's Place
July 17: LibriAmoriMiei - review
July 17: Independent Authors
July 18: Paranormal and Romantic Suspense Reviews
July 19: The Reading Addict
July 20: BooksChatter
July 24: Sharing Links and Wisdom
July 24: Laurie's Thoughts and Reviews
July 25: EskieMama and Dragon Lady Reads
July 26: Queen of All She Reads
July 27: Cafinated Reads
July 28: Long and Short Reviews
Thanks for hosting!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the tour and thanks for the chance to win :)
ReplyDeleteHi Lisa ~ Thanks for following the tour! Wishing you the best of luck!
DeleteWhen you start a new book, do you have all the characters in place and an ending planned, or does it come to you as you write?
ReplyDeleteHi Peggy ~ I'm definitely not a "pantser" as they say. I've tried doing things that way, and it has its benefits, but when I was writing my first series, the Soup Lovers' Mysteries, my editor required an outline, rather than a synopsis. I found it a little difficult to do at first, but I realized that working that way saved so much time and confusion that it was worth it. Now I really like to outline. I feel like a have a roadmap. Best of luck to you!
DeleteThanks so much for hosting me today!
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome. Good luck with your tour.
DeleteWho is your favorite author currently writing? Thanks for the givaway. I hope that I win. Bernie W BWallace1980(at)hotmail(d0t)com
ReplyDeleteHi Bernie ~ Thanks for following! I really like Jussi Adler-Olsen. I've read two of his books and want to read the others. Best of luck!
DeleteThanks for sharing - have a great weekend! :)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Victoria ~ you too! Happy Friday!
DeleteWhat author inspires you the most? Thanks for the giveaway. I hope that I win. Bernie W BWallace1980(at)hotmail(dot)com
ReplyDeleteI think any writer who takes me on a journey with a wonderful story. Tana French is certainly one, so is Ann Cleeves, and I recently read The Marsh King's Daughter by Karen Dionne, which I highly recommend. Best of luck, Bernie!
DeleteYou certainly know a lot about Astrology...did you research all this at first or was it already a hobby? Love the sound of this book...
ReplyDeleteMarilyn ewatvess@yahoo.com
Hi Marilyn ~ thanks for visiting! It was always a hobby or at least a great interest for me. I was introduced to it many years ago by a woman who was an amateur astrologer and was looking for people to practice on. I was amazed when her predictions came true and just had to learn more about it. I don't have much time these days to read or investigate charts, but when I thought of this series, I knew I wanted my protagonist to have an unusual profession, and astrology seemed to fit the bill. Hope you enjoy Julia's next adventure very soon!
DeleteI really enjoyed reading the excerpt, thank you!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Nikolina ~ It's hard to choose an excerpt that might be interesting to people, but not give away the plot. So glad you enjoyed it!
DeleteWhat is your favorite book cover of all time? Thanks for the giveaway. I hope that I win. Bernie W BWallace1980(at)hotmail(d0t)com
ReplyDelete